TRI-OLOGY, VOL. 43, NO. 2 Patti J. Anderson, Ph.D., Managing Editor MARCH-APRIL 2004 PI-02-T-08/DACS-P- 00124 Wayne N. Dixon, Ph.D., Editor Page 1 of 16 BOTANY SECTION Compiled by Richard E. Weaver, Jr., Ph.D. For this period, 158 specimens were submitted to the Botany Section for identification, and 1,335 were received from other sections for identification/name verification (total 1,493). Also, during this period 203 specimens were added to the herbarium. Some of the samples submitted to the Botany Section are discussed below. Asparagus setaceus (Kunth) Jessop. (A genus of ca. 130 species widely distributed in the Old World, but absent from Australia.) Liliaceae (Asparagaceae). Asparagus fern. This native of southern and eastern Africa is not a fern at all, but rather is a flowering plant related to the garden asparagus. Though most familiar as a potted house plant or as a filler in bouquets and corsages, this is actually a vigorous woody vine found climbing into trees as high as 6 or 7 meters. Like all Asparagus species, the true leaves are small and scale-like, often becoming thorn-like with age. The photosynthetic structures that appear to be leaves are actually modified branches, called “cladodes.” In this species, these cladodes are arranged in one plane and are very finely textured, forming a flat, triangular frond-like structure. Various species of Asparagus, especially A. densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop, have become invasive weeds in various tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Asparagus setaceus is widely naturalized here in Florida, from the Panhandle to Broward County, but has not yet become a serious pest. (Indian River County; B2004-193; Kenneth L. Hibbard; 1 April 2004) (Dahlgren et al. 1985; Huxley 1992; Mabberley 1997; http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu) Coccocypselum hirsutum Bartl. ex DC. (A genus of 20 species widely distributed in the Neotropics.) Rubiaceae. No common name. This native of tropical America is a recent addition to our flora, having been found in the Lake Manatee State Recreation Area in 2004. It is present in scattered populations on about two acres there, but to our knowledge has not spread to other localities. The rather long, hairy stems are decumbent and root at the nodes, forming a loose mat. The ovate, long-petiolate leaves are also hairy. Small, 3-5-flowered heads of pale blue flowers with tubular 4-lobed corollas are borne on slender stalks in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are followed by berries of a most striking bright blue, about 1 cm in diameter. The origin of the Lake Manatee populations is not known, but the plants are occasionally cultivated. (Manatee County; B2004-127; Andrea Van Loan; 9 March 2004) (Liogier 1985) Coriandrum sativum L. (A genus of three species in southwestern Asia.) Umbelliferae. Coriander, cilantro. Cultivated and used as a seasoning for millennia, the natural range of coriander is unknown, but is believed to be in Asia Minor. It is an annual plant growing to 0.5 – 0.6 m tall, with coarsely divided basal leaves. The leaves on the stems are much more finely divided, with ultimate divisions often only 1 – 2 mm wide. The white flowers are borne in compound umbels, usually with 4 – 6 main branches. Conspicuously enlarged petals in the marginal flowers give the inflorescences a lacelike appearance. Two seasonings are derived from this plant: coriander from the dried fruits (often called “seeds”), used to flavor gin, bread, confectionery, and as a component of curry; and cilantro or cilantrillo, from the fresh leaves used to flavor many Latin American and Asian dishes. Many North Americans and Europeans have only recently been introduced to cilantro, and it is not yet overwhelmingly popular among them. The odor has been described as resembling crushed TRI-OLOGY, VOL. 43, NO. 2 MARCH-APRIL 2004 Page 2 of 16 bedbugs. Another very different plant, but of the same family, Eryngium foetidum or culantro, has a similar taste and odor and is similarly utilized, particularly in the West Indies. (De Soto County; B2004-119; Scott A. Scudamore; 2 March 2004) (Mabberley 1997; http://www.ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/Cori_sat.html ) Diospyros khaki L.f. (A genus of perhaps 475 species widely distributed in tropical regions, with nearly 100 in Madagascar alone; a few species, including this one and our native D. virginiana, are found in temperate regions.) Ebenaceae. Japanese persimmon. Native in a wide swath across Asia from Japan through China to Burma and northern India, this beautiful tree has been cultivated for centuries. More than 2,000 cultivars are grown in China, and 800 in Japan. The tree itself grows to 18 m tall, with a broad and rounded crown, and an open aspect. The alternate, entire, ovate-elliptic, leathery and glossy leaves are deciduous, though tardily so in Florida. The pale yellow flowers are not showy, with staminate and pistillate flowers generally borne on separate trees. The latter are distinctive in their large calyces, which are persistent on the fruit. The mature fruits are orange and about the size of a baseball, but those of the various cultivars vary greatly in shape, texture, sweetness and astringency. The most widely grown cultivar worldwide, ‘Fuyu’ is bright orange, faintly 4- sided, firm, completely non-astringent, with few or no seeds. The Japanese persimmon is widely cultivated in its native countries, as well as in other subtropical and warm temperate regions; in the United States, most of its commercial production is in California. The tree itself is often grown as an ornamental, with the fruit as a bonus. Further north, this tree is a spectacular sight in the fall, with its red and orange autumn leaves and bright orange, baseball-sized fruits. (Pinellas County; B2004-177; Thomas L. Lastrapes; 23 April 2004) (Mabberley 1997; Morton 1987) Iris hexagona Walter. (A genus of 210 species distributed over most of the North Temperate Zone, extending slightly into the subtropics.) Iridaceae. Dixie iris, prairie iris. This is the most southerly-distributed iris species in the United States, extending in Florida to Collier County. It is more widely distributed in various wet habitats on the Coastal Plain from extreme southeastern South Carolina to northeastern Texas, and then along the Mississippi River to southeastern Missouri. The bold, erect, sword-like leaves may be as long as 0.7–0.8 m, with the flowering stem occasionally reaching nearly a meter. The handsome flowers reach 10–12 cm across. The outer perianth segments, called “falls,” are usually solid blue- purple, with yellow to green venation near the base; the inner segments, or standards are darker purple, and again yellow or greenish near the base. Being such an attractive plant, Iris hexagona is frequently cultivated. It is great for natural or artificial ponds, but it will prosper in ordinary garden beds as long as the soil is kept moist and is rich in organic matter. This species is also a parent of the Louisiana irises, a hybrid group of moisture-loving plants, with large and beautiful flowers in an incredible range of colors, including the brightest reds and truest blues in the genus. (Brevard County; B2004-166; Christine J. Frere; 22 March 2004) (Godfrey and Wooten 1979; Mabberley 1997) Oenothera speciosa Nuttall. (A genus of 124 species native to temperate North America, but several naturalized in Europe and hybridizing there.) Onagraceae. Pinkladies, pink or showy evening primrose. The common name “evening primrose” refers generally to Oenothera species whose flowers open in the late afternoon or evening and close the following morning. However, a few species with yellow-flowers (often called “sundrops”) as well as this pink-flowered species bloom in the early morning and fade by mid-afternoon. TRI-OLOGY, VOL. 43, NO. 2 MARCH-APRIL 2004 Page 3 of 16 This is a truly beautiful plant, bearing numerous 5 – 6 cm wide, bowl-shaped flowers, with four overlapping petals of soft pink or white, and eight large and conspicuous bright yellow anthers. It seldom grows more than 2 dm tall. Not surprisingly, it is frequently cultivated. The cultivar ‘Siskiyou Pink’, selected by the venerable Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery in Medford, Oregon, with deeper pink flowers and a more compact habit, is becoming increasingly popular among gardeners. As a garden plant, it has several advantages and one serious disadvantage. It blooms reliably for a long period, and it thrives in poor, dry soil, as long as it receives at least the afternoon sun; but it spreads rapidly by underground stolons and can become difficult to eradicate. The plant is native from Kansas and Missouri, south to Texas and into Mexico, although the Mexican plants are sometimes considered to be specifically distinct. It is widely naturalized in California and in the southeastern United States. In Florida, it is most common in the northern half of the state. (Hernando County; B2004-211; Robert W. Dudley; 5 April 2004) (Mabberley 1997; Munz 1965) Pentas lanceolata (Forssk.) Deflers. (A genus of 24 species of shrubs and herbs native to Africa, Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula.) Rubiaceae. Egyptian starflower, starflower, pentas. Potentially a shrub to 2 meters tall, this native of eastern Africa and Yemen is usually grown as an herbaceous annual or perennial. With its ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, hairy, conspicuously veined leaves and domed clusters of brightly colored, tubular, star-shaped flowers, this has become a familiar bedding or greenhouse plant in much of the United States. The corollas of the wild plant are generally pink, but cultivated forms have white, red, violet and magenta flowers as well. This is an easy and adaptable plant in cultivation, tolerating reasonably well the heat and humidity of a Florida summer, even if planted in full sun.